gannett



1959 w. K. GANNETT 2,907,522

ANGLE COUNTER Filed April 1. 1957 20| 24 2,6 F 3 |02 9B 9,6 /28/82 elo o 210 98 70 22 207 ei-q asg ,0 53,8 5,6 2624 so 2o se 34 64o 28 4a-i /C 209 86 4 u2 9s so 2 94 ee 90 H Ms JV EL zu* n Q n Q INVENTOR. W. K. GANNETT BY FIG'Q Qr ,/nn A ATTORNEY inited States Patent i ANGLE COUNTER Wright Gannett, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to Y Mast Development Co., Davenport, Iowa Application April 1, 1957, Serial No. 649,971

9 Claims. (Cl. 23S-125) This 'invention relates to a counter` and more particularly to a counter capable of repeating at numbers that are multiples rather than powers of ten. A typical situation in which v a counter of this type finds utility is the counting of degrees or mils in connection with angles. For example,` 360, 6400 mils etc. are multiples but not powers of ten. Known angle counters of this type require Vspecial .intermittent gearing and/ or segments or fenders for concealing certain digits lso that the counter can be made to repeat at 360, for example, rather than at 1000.

The present invention features a novel and compact counter mechanism Aembodied in an elongated preferably cylindrical casing readily and easily adapted for mounting in a panel or other supporting structure. The entire unit is relatively small and its ability to count through a wide range .results from the exploitation of the use of belts as distinguished from wheels, and in the case ofthe belt bearing thegreater number of digits, that belt is of the Moebius type, having at least one 180 twist therein. A significant feature of the invention is the combining of a single counter element in the tens and hundreds position, this element bearing a double row of digits, one row being in the tens position and the vother row being in the hundreds position. A further feature of the invention is the adaptability of the mechanism to the use of conventional transfer means, thereby avoiding the necessity for special and complicated intermittent gearing. Other objects of the invention reside the mounting of the counter mechanism and support means as a unit in the external casing; means keying the unit to the casing so as to prevent relative rotation about the axis of the casing; and other features and objects asy will appear from the ensuingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, the several figures ofr which are described below.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the counter, drawn to a slightly reduced scale.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, looking upwardly as seen along the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken 90 to Figure 2 as seen along the staggered section line A3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentarysection on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a `transverse section as seen on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end elevation as seen on the line 6 6 of Figure 2,. l' i Figures 47 andI 8 are respectively face views of opposite sides of the tens-hundreds belt before the ends thereof are twisted and joined.

' Figure 9 is a developed view.of the digits belt.

yFigure l0 is afragmentary section showing thel counter as equipped with a modified form, of input means. v The example of the counter shown' `involves three digits; although, it will be obvious from the principles assista Patented Oct. 6, 195 9 forward ones of which afford what may be termed a count-presenting portion 34 proximate to the front end 22 of the casing when the unit is encased. As best seen in Figure 5, the side rails are transversely spaced apart on.a diameter of the casing 20 and snugly fit the interior surface of that casing at diametrically opposed z ones thereof, which contributes to the mounting of the unit in the casing so that it may be axially forwardly insertedy and axially rearwardly withdrawn. Insertion of the unit in the casing is limited by front retaining means in the form of a cap 36 typically formed of acrylic plastic or other suitable material having a clear window area at 38 to enable the count to be read at the count-presenting portion 34. The front end of the casing is shown as having an annular flange 40 to retain the cap 36. The rear end 24 of the casing is normally closed by a removable rear cap 42, separably secured to the casing as by a plurality of circumferentially spaced screws 44. The interior portion of this capis recessed or otherwise provided with a pair of diametrically opposed pockets or keyways 46 for respectively receiving the rear ends of the side rails 30. Since the cap is secured to the casing by the screws 44 and since the support means is keyed to the cap at 46, the internal ,unit is prevented from turning about the major axis of the casing and registration of the counter with the clear or viewing area 38 is assured. This provides a simple and economical design for the compact unit as illustrated. The cap 44 is additionally detachably secured to the rear ends of the side rails 36 by removable securing means, here a pair of screws 48. Thus, the cap may be secured to the side rails independently or in the absence of the casing for checking the counting mechanism before it is housed in the casing, which is significant especially in the modified form of counter shown in Figure l0 in which an end cap 46a has an axial bearing 47 for journalling an input shaft 49. As will be pointed out, the counter of Figures 1-9 and that of Figure 10 are identical except for the input means, the former being driven by a side-mounted input shaft 50. These details will be covered below in the description of the counter mechanism 28.

' The counter mechanism, shown best in Figures 2 and 3, includes a plurality of cross shafts 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62, each appropriately mounted at its opposite ends in the side rails 30. The shaft 52 independently journals a pair of coaxial carriers or front drums 64 and 66, the

former llying in the conventional A or digits position and the latter in a combined BC or tens-hundreds position. The shaft 54, which is or may be a coaxial extension of the input shaft 50, is keyed to a rst rear or `driving drum 68 which is rearwardly in alinement with the A drum 64, and an endless digits belt 70, of any suitable material such as Mylar film on which the numbers Iare silk-screened, is trained about the two drums 64 and to constitute a first counter element traveling in the' A poition and here numbered in ten increments from 0 to 9. This belt is medially perforated to provide 'a series of sprocket-tooth-engaging apertures 72 for sucwider digits and, being in the center of the belt, avoid weakening the belt at its edges. The drum 64 has an outer guide ange 76 and the two drums 64 and 66 are separated'by a central guide flange 78 to retain the belt 70, which function is yfurther achieved by the sproeket teeth and the engagement thereof with the perforations 72. l-t will be seen thus far that as the input shaft is driven from the source of count (which may be in any typical situation and thus deemed unnecessary to Illustrate) the belt 70 is driven past the .window area 38 to successively present the digits to 9 when additive or just the reverse when subtractive. The use of the belt alords an elongated counter element adequately and legibly accommodating the digits( without crowding and avoids the use of larger circular elements, thus contributing to the elongated compact (nature of the counter as a whole. Figure 9 shows that the unspliced belt 70 is numbered from 2 through 0 to l, which is for the purpose of causing the splice or lap to occur between l and 2 rather than between 9 and 0, thus avoiding undesirable torque buildup which would otherwise Voccur when the splice at 9-0 passed over the counter wheel at the instant of transfer.

This feature is further carried out by exploiting the use of a second'endless belt or element 80, here having a single 180 or Moebius twist at 82, trained about the other front drum 66 and a rearwardly alined second rear carrier or driven drum 84. The drum 84 is journaled on the rear cross sha-ft 62 and has Vsprocket teeth 86 for successively engaging sprocket-teeth-receiving apertures or perforations 88 medially of the belt, which arrangement partakes of the advantages described in connection with the digits belt 70. Retention of the belt 80 as respects the front drum 66 is afforded by the, central division flange 78 and an outer ange 90. It will be understood that the anges or washers 76, 78 and 90 are freely journaled on the front shaft 52 and that appropriate spacers are provided where required, which need not be `elaborated.

The Moebius belt80, since the BC positions are combined, bears a double row of digits, in the Vinstant case running from 00 to 35, because the disclosed counter is an angle counter capable ofrc'ounting to 360 and repeating at that number (i.e., from O00 through 359 to 000). As explained above, this arrangement is typical of other arrangements, the details of which will suggest themselves fromV what is disclosed here. As will be pointed out below, the counter mechanism is reversible and operates subtractively yas wellV as additively and will accomplish drum 68fin a count-increasing direction as shown by the arrow on that drum in Figure 3 (clockwise). The drum 68 coaxially carries a twenty-tooth gear 94 which is in constant mesh with a twenty-tooth gear 96 keyed to a Ysleeve 98 that is journaled on the shaft 56. An eighttooth pinion 100 is coaxially keyed to the sleeve 98 and is in constant mesh with a twenty-tooth gear102 journaled on the next shaft S8. Coaxially lxed to the gear 102 is a typical two-tooth intermittent gear -104 combined with a conventional single-notch locking disc 106, the former of which drives the eight-tooth part 108 ofa double pinion having a four-tooth part 110 intermittently lockable by the disc 106, and this double pinion is integral with or xed to a twenty-toothgear 112 that meshes constantly with a twenty-tooth gear 14 xed to the driving drum 84 for the twisted belt 80. Since the type of transfer mechanism shown is representative of known drives, elaboration is deemed unnecessary. Suice it to note that the mechanismv establishes one increment of movement of the belt 80 for each ten increments (or each cycle) of the belt 70. For example, and-starting at 000, after the belt 70 reaches 9, one more increment thereof will cause it to advance to 0 and the 'belt 80 will simultaneously advance from 00 to 0l, so that the count will read 010 (here ten degrees). The belt 70 may then advance through another cycle during whchfthe belt80 will remain at 01 'until the end of the second cycle of the belt 70, whereupon the belt 80 :will advance tov02 and so on. 1

Y The elongated and compact nature of the counter adapts it readily for installation in many situations, especially where space is at a premium, and in manyinstances I the side input at AS0 serves admirably for vthe drive.

same in sequence or ,in the same operation as the case Ymay be. Forexample, if the mechanism is used o n a device capable of traversing a circle but susceptible to reversal at any time, the Vcounter will lfunction additively as lthe device progresses but will operate subtractively as the device'reverses. Hence, the counter will always give an accurate reading of the-current angle of the device. Moreover, since the counter repeats at 000, it is immaterial how many times the counted device has passed through 360 degrees, for, as indicated, the reading is a true indication of the current position of the device, and

cumulative or subtractive calculations are unnecessary. Y i

These advantages are available whether counting angles or mils, or whether a tenths belt, foriexample,..is added to the disclosed construction (which would require an-V other belt like the belt 70 to the right ofthe A position and transferring to the ,belt 70 vat ten).

As already oulined, it is a feature of this invention that the arrangement takes advantage of the use ofl conventionalVv transfer mechanism and does not depend vupon complicated or special intermittent gearing, segments, fenders, etc. A representative form of conventional transfer means is shown here as a typical twenty-eigh'tfour mechanism, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 92. In Figures 2, 3 and 4, 'the input, as 'previously Vde- However, in other instances the end or coaxial input of Figure l0 may be desired. This is effected in the counter already described, simply by replacing the rear end cap 42 with the already described end cap 42a which incorporates .the bearing 47 for the coaxial input shaft 49. This shaft xedly carries an internal miter gear 116 which meshes with a second internal miter gear'118 loose on the rear shaft 62 but coaxially connected to drive'an adjacent twenty-tooth gear 120 which is in constant mesh with a twenty-tooth gear 122 loose on the next shaft 60 but xed to an adjacent eight-tooth pinion 124. This pinion is in constant mesh with the twenty-tooth gear 102 that is associated with thev intermittent gearing and hence serves the same drive purpose as the eighttooth gear 100.v The gear 100 remains of course in its previously described relation to the driving drum 68 and this drum is in both cases Vdriven from the input shaft and transfers back to the drum 84. Both sets of inputs may be provided the same mechanism if desired'a'nd the purchaser may select which he will use; or, separate counters'with alternate inputs may be provided, according to individual desires. y

- 'e The Moebius belt as shown in Figures 7.and 8 is here numbered on one side from 0l to 17, with opposite end Vblanks 126, and on the other side from 18 to 00.V When .the belt is twisted and its ends joined the l8 laps the blank 126 next to l7 andthe 00 laps theblank 126 ahead of 0l. The provision of the double row of :num-

bers on this belt achieves,'asV preliminarily outlined, the

. 6400 or 3200, neither ofwhich is a power-of ten.V The scribed, occurs through theshaft'anddrives the driving 75 use of the twisted belt enables the use of a relative long sequence of numbers (here Y00 to 35) Withoutlunduly enlarging. the counter and, like the `belt 70, contributes to the elongated compact design.

VThe Moebius strip, shown here .as having a `single twist, could be further exploited Yby using a `belt .having an odd number of( twists other :than one.` l

As shown in Figure 2, the shafts 52 and 62 enter blind holes in the side bars 30 and thus serve also as spacers.

Features of the invention that have not been specilically elaborated will, like modications of the present forms disclosed, readily suggest themselves to those versed in the art, all without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A counter of the class described, comprising: a fore-and-aft elongated support having front and rear ends of which said front end is a count-presenting portion affording a rst, digits position and a second position combining the tens and hundreds positions; first and second coaxial, relatively rotatable front drums journaled at said front end respectively in said first and second positions on a transverse axis; a first rear drum behind aud in fore-and-aft alinement with the rst front drum and journaled on the support on an axis parallel to said front drum axis; a first endless belt trained about said rst front and rear drums and driven by said rear drum and numbered from 0-9; input means driving said irst rear drum for moving the rst belt through successive cycles often increments each, according to the 0-9 numbering thereof; a second rear drum alined fore-and-aft with the second front drum and disposed rearwardly of the iirst rear drum and journaled on the support on an axis parallel to the aforesaid axes; a second endless belt trained about the second front and rear drums and bearing two rows of numerals, one row in the tens position and the other row in the hundreds position, the numbering of said two rows starting at 00 and pogressing consecutively through 0l, 02 etc. to a twodigit number which when multiplied by ten is other than a power of ten; transfer means intermediate and interconnecting the rear drums and operative at the end of each rst belt cycle to move the second belt in an increment corresponding to the distance from one two-digit number to the next whereby the counter is capable of repeating at a three-digit number that is a multiple of ten other than a power of ten; the diameter of said drums being substantially equal and the transverse dimension of said support being greater than said diameter; and an elongated cylindrical casing, having its axis medially of the length of the support and encasng said support, carriers, belts and transfer means, casing having provision at its front end for viewing access to the count-presenting portion of the support.

2. The invention dened in claim l in which: the support means comprises a pair of fore-and-aft elongated side rails journaling the carriers and spaced apart diametrically of the casing and respectively snugly itting diametrically opposite interior portions of said casing.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, including: retainer means at the front end of the casing for limiting forward movement of the support means relative to the casing while enabling rearward movement thereof so that the support means, carriers, belts and transfer means comprises a unit forwardly insertable into and rearwardly withdrawable from the casing; and removable means at the rear end of the casing for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of said unit from the casing.

4. The invention dened in claim 3, in which: said rear end means engages the casing and the support means for preventing rotation of the support means relative to the casing about the axis of the casing.

5. A counter of the class described, comprising: an elongated fore-and-aft cylindrical tubular casing having open front and rear ends; an axially forwardly insertable and rearwardly withdrawable unit carried by and within the casing and including support means and counter mechanism carried by said support means, said counter mechanism having a portion viewable through the front end of the casing and said support means including a pair of fore-an-aft side rails spaced apart diametrically of the casing and snugly contacting diametrically opposite interior portions of said casing; retainer means at the front end of the casing for limiting forward insertion of the unit and aiiording viewing access to said counter mechanism viewable portion; an axially rearwardly removable rear end cap fitting the rear end of the casing and having key means internally of the casing and engaging the support means for preventing rotation of the unit relative to said cap; and removable means securing the cap to the casing for preventing both rotation and axial displacement of lsaid cap relative to the casing.

6. A counter of the class described, comprising: an elongated fore-and-aft cylindrical tubular casing having open front and rear ends; an axially insertable and withdrawable unit carried by and within the casing and including support means and counter mechanism carried by said support means, said counter mechanism having a portion viewable through one end of thet casing and said support means including a pair of iore-and-aft side rails spaced apart diametrically of the casing and snugly contacting diametrically opposite interior portions of said casing; retainer means at the said one end of the casing for limiting insertion of the unit and affording viewing access to said counter mechanism viewable portion; an axially removable end cap fitting the other end of the casing and having key means internally of the casing and engaging the support means for preventing rotation of the unit relative to said cap; and removable means securing the cap to the casing for preventing both rotation and axial displacement of said cap relative to the casing.

7. The invention defined in claim 6, in which: the key means on the cap includes diametrically opposed recesses respectively receiving the proximate end portions of the side rails.

8. The invention deiined in claim 6, including: additional means securing the cap to the support means.

9. A counter of the class described, comprising: an elongated fore-and-aft cylindrical tubular casing having open front and rear ends; Ian axially forwardly insertable and rearwardly withdrawable unit carried by and within the casing and including support means and counter mechanism carried by said support means, said counter mechanism having a portion viewable through the front end of the casing and said support means including a pair of fore-and-aft side rails spaced apart diametrically of the casing and snugly contacting diametrically opposite interior portions of said casing; retainer means at the front end of the casing for limiting forward insertion of the unit andaffording viewing access to said counter mechanism viewable portion; an axially rearwardly removable rear end cap tting the rear end of the casing; means internally of the casing and engaging the support means for preventing rotation of the unit relative to said casing; and removable means securing the cap to the casing.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 381,227 Ellis Apr. 17, 1888 1,478,384 Dorsch Dec. 25, 1923 1,542,465 Macgill June 16, 1925 1,777,692 Fuss Oct. 7, 1930 2.379,303 Israel June 26, 1945 2,661,903 Goldbach Dec. 8, 1953 2,732,131 Mager Ian. 24, 1956 2,764,348 Johnson Sept. 25, 1956 2,829,833 Carbonara Apr. 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 267,285 Great Britain Mar. 17, 1927 

